A Workplace that Works for All

Suzanne Bellanger
Assistant Director, Stewardship Marketing
Brown University

I’m going to be completely honest with you. I don’t feel totally confident writing (and sharing) an article focused on dismantling racism and removing biases at work. It’s a critically important topic and I don’t want to misspeak or misdirect. I am in no way, shape, or form an expert on how to fight for racial equality or foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace. I’m just me—someone who is coming to terms with how damaging my white fragility has been, and just how much my white privilege has afforded me. As I garner a better understanding of both, I am more determined than ever to do my part to end systemic and individual racism in our society, and to ensure I’m doing everything I can to fight for equality and end oppression of marginalized people. And I know to be fully engaged and to be an effective ally, I need to address and confront these things in both my personal and professional life. I want to share what I’ve learned so far, and what I want to keep continuing to learn. If anything, perhaps this article will spark additional conversations among us donor relations professionals that will lead to further progress in our chosen field and aid the fight to end systemic racism across the board. I would appreciate and welcome that, so please do reach out if you feel so inclined after reading my thoughts.

I’ve done a lot of reading and listening since George Floyd’s murder sparked the biggest social justice movement in the history of this country, one that has been 400 years in the making. One that finally, finally, finally seems to be creating real change (or the beginnings of it at least). I’ve been reading and researching exhaustively because I am certain we cannot afford to let this moment pass. Now is the time to take a firm stand against things that should have been addressed so very long ago because the moral fabric of our nation is at risk and the pandemic and its resulting effects have made us even more vulnerable. With this movement, we have a chance to reinvent what it means to be American for ALL Americans, with (for real this time) ALL the same rights, ALL the same privileges and ALL the same opportunities. There’s a lot of work to be done in all aspects of life, but for this article—for the sake of time—I’m focusing solely on ways to make this happen in the workplace. 

Much of what I’ll share here are personal observations based on research I’ve done on how to be an effective ally at work and how to be better at my job (which is to ensure that every single one of our donors feels seen, valued and appreciated for their contributions AND for who they are as individuals).  I’ve determined that if my team and I are going to consistently and successfully provide authentic, meaningful experiences for our donors—especially our Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) donors—we’ve got to first do some inward reflecting and perform a deep assessment of our current internal practices and culture.

Systemic racism is the fundamental reason why many companies have failed to build truly diverse and inclusive cultures, and white privilege and white fragility have exacerbated the problem. So, if we are to take any of these findings to heart and attempt to foster real change in our workplaces, the first step is to recognize the institutional racism living within our own organizations and acknowledge that white fragility exists, so we can dismantle the systems and structures that are oppressing BIPOC colleagues.

In a recent conversation about how to best support the Black Lives Matter movement and foster a more equitable and inclusive environment, a friend said to me “I’ve spent my whole career avoiding talking about race, religion, politics and sexual orientation at work. How am I supposed to pivot now and make a point of doing it? Am I really expected to convince coworkers and subordinates that tout “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter” that they are wrong?” I don’t think she was looking for an answer, but I gave her one anyway. It was an unequivocal “yes.”

Let’s leave religion and politics out of the mix, because those are preferences and open for debate. But in my opinion, co-workers should not be afraid to talk about or acknowledge another’s race or sexual orientation. A truly inclusive work environment—one that celebrates and invests in the diversity of its employees—requires, even demands, that coworkers be comfortable acknowledging and finding value in their differences.  

Great. But how do we do this? At Brown University, where I work, there are plenty of workshops and diversity and inclusion sessions available for anyone who wants to attend, but those only go so far. They’re informational and a really good place to start, but they don’t really change anything. You have to do more than just attend a class or engage in role playing. You have to take those learnings and actually apply them. You have to amplify the voices of your BIPOC co-workers and listen to what they are saying. You have to internalize their stories and use their experiences to help inform how to provide a better environment for all. You have to be actively anti-racist and call out microaggressions when you see them. And you have to foster a diverse identity for your organization. You don’t want BIPOC employees to matriculate into and mold themselves to “fit” within a white environment. You want the environment to fit all the people. For example, if you have a lending library in your office, like we do, that’s shelved with books donated by staff, can you safely say that there’s a good mix of books by Black and white authors and about or related to BIPOC or LGBTQ communities? What about the artwork that’s hanging on your walls? The food that you order for working lunches (or sold in your cafeteria if you have one)? Party themes? Where do you go for team building exercises or corporate outings? These all may seem like small things, but small things add up and create the culture. If these small things aren’t rich and diverse, your company culture isn’t rich or diverse, no matter how many employees of color you have.

And if your workforce isn’t very diverse, it’s way past time to change that. If your internal workings aren’t multicultural, your external output won’t be either. You cannot effectively celebrate and recognize the unique contributions and value your BIPOC donors bring to the mix, if your internal structure isn’t representative of those constituents. A whitewashed, homogeneous organization is going to have a really hard time authentically engaging with non-white donors.

Adopt processes and procedures that ensure your hiring practices are equitable. Review all resumes with the name and address redacted to eliminate inherent bias so that you can focus solely on the applicant’s qualifications and experience.  Also, actively recruit qualified BIPOC applicants for leadership roles and pay close attention to who is being promoted within the organization to make sure every employee, regardless of race or sexual orientation, is being recognized, commended and appropriately rewarded for their hard work. Harvard Business Review published an excellent article that digs deep into this topic and provides specific actions you can take toward a racially just workplace, which you can read here. 

Diversifying your workforce makes for a richer environment, a more productive team and more creative output. Harvard Business Review reports that companies with higher rates of diversity of race or gender have greater revenue and more customers (donors). And according to a Josh Bersin study, inclusive companies (i.e., companies whose culture fits all employees) are almost two times more likely to be innovation leaders in their market. Plus, racially and ethnically diverse companies outperform industry norms by 35% (McKinsey). Not to mention the fact that a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data finds that the “post-Millennial” generation is already the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, as a bare majority of 6– to 21-year-olds (52%) are non-Hispanic whites. And while most are still pursuing their K–12 education, the oldest post-Millennials are enrolling in college at a significantly higher rate than Millennials were at a comparable age. If you don’t start building a culture that appeals to this next generation of talented workers, your ability to attract and retain top talent will suffer.

Better engagement with your BIPOC donors is not the main goal of recognizing and correcting the fundamental ways in which your organization is failing to be diverse and inclusive—but it is a valuable by-product. In addition to having a more well-rounded, creative workforce, your organization will gain a broader reach and scope as well as have the ability to foster more meaningful and long-lasting relationships that help you fulfill your mission and achieve your goals.

These are just a few things to start with. There is so much more to know and understand about all the ways our society has grown around an oppressive, racist system and all the things we now need to do to dismantle it. The same friend I mentioned earlier also said she wished there was a roadmap to follow, so that we could be effective in our efforts. Well, WE are the mapmakers. We have to use the momentum the recent social uprising has created to carry us forward. We need to discover new paths and find better ways to work and live— ways that are equitable for all. We might make a few wrong turns, but the most important thing is to keep moving onward. There is no turning back.